SS Online Application, proof of identity in these times.

[ShokWaveRider]

DW Applied on line for her SS. No issues there. However, they want to see her original Birth, Citizenship and Marriage Certificates. They say take them to the local office for review. None of our offices are open due to COVID.

We are going to call SS Monday and ask what to do. I wondered if anyone has had a similar issue and what they had to do.

We know any payments will be backdated, but are curious on what needs to be done to verify these documents.

 

[VanWinkle]

DW Applied on line for her SS. No issues there. However, they want to see her original Birth, Citizenship and Marriage Certificates. They say take them to the local office for review. None of our offices are open due to COVID.

We are going to call SS Monday and ask what to do. I wondered if anyone has had a similar issue and what they had to do.

We know any payments will be backdated, but are curious on what needs to be done to verify these documents.

I would think you could scan and upload with the application. I was able to go to an office before the Covid when I applied for survivor benefits and they requested the same things.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I would think you could scan and upload with the application. I was able to go to an office before the Covid when I applied for survivor benefits and they requested the same things.

They Specifically say in the confirmation letter that they want the Certified Originals, not copies.

 

[VanWinkle]

They Specifically say in the confirmation letter that they want the Certified Originals, not copies.

Does that mean a copy of a certified original, with no scans of a copy of the original. I would think they would make an exception, definitely call them for an answer.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Does that mean a copy of a certified original, with no scans of a copy of the original. I would think they would make an exception, definitely call them for an answer.

Hopefully they will give us a solution. There was no info about scanning and where to email them to in the letter.

 

[Car-Guy]

Might take a little time but can you just order some "Certified Originals" and then send them in?

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Might take a little time but can you just order some "Certified Originals" and then send them in?

Yes that is an option, but they are from foreign countries and could take a while. Not the US Citizenship Certificate, but the others.

Interesting as the letter does say you can send the originals to your LOCAL office. Which is Closed! LOL. They do not give any other central address to send them to.

 

[CuriousJoe]

I remember reading somewhere, that they would accept even EXPIRED passports sent by mail to their office as proof of birth and citizenship

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I remember reading somewhere, that they would accept even EXPIRED passports sent by mail to their office as proof of birth and citizenship

She was not born in the USA. Lived and worked here for 35 years though.

 

[Alan]

DW will be facing this next year when she applies for SS. (I'm waiting until age 70). Living in England we will be applying through the FBU in the US Embassy in London and when we each applied for Medicare part A this year went through a similar request during our telephone interviews. They need to see actual documents of Certificate of Naturalization etc. They did say we could send them in via courier or wait unit the pandemic is over and the US Embassy is open again. We said we would arrange a visit next year as we have a week planned in London anyway, however they have processed our applications anyway and have received our Medicare cards.

Strange times for sure.

 

[Bryan Barnfellow]

My wife applied for spousal benefits and was asked for originals of birth and marriage certificates to be sent to Frankfurt, Germany (the "local" office for all of Europe). They were returned promptly via DHL carrier.

-BB

 

[ShokWaveRider]

however they have processed our applications anyway and have received our Medicare cards.

Strange times for sure.

It would be nice. Somehow I do not think they will be so forgiving as they will be actually sending DW money every month.

 

[Alan]

It would be nice. Somehow I do not think they will be so forgiving as they will be actually sending DW money every month.

I don't doubt it, but when you talk to them they may have an alternate place to send in the documents if the local office is closed.

 

[Venturer]

When you call them make sure you are in a comfy chair and have some snacks available while you wait!

 

[skipro33]

My wife applied on October 15th for her SS retirement benefit. No problem. We got a confirmation letter telling us someone would call to confirm. 2 weeks later we got that call. (So glad we were home) They asked her some confirmation questions that would have been on her birth certificate; mother's maiden name, etc. and then he said that her first check should arrive at the end of December. Waited a week and logged onto her SS account where it said she was signed up and that the first check would be in December and auto deposit to her bank account. Confirmed the bank account info and all is fine.
Sorry you weren't able to get a phone call confirmation.

Make sure when you call to call your LOCAL SS office. The number is on line and will be a toll free number but will ring your specific local office. I have had need to call ours a couple times and got through with under 10 minute waits each time during the pandemic. Good Luck!

 

[Car-Guy]

I didn't have a problem when I applied on-line for SS... Everything worked like it was suppose to. However the DW ran into a problem... Seems they still had her "current address" as the one she had when she first got her SS card (40+ years ago.) even though she had moved numerous times over the decades.... Took a couple of phone calls and a snail mail letter to get it all straight.

 

[Gumby]

I hope you'll update this when you get an answer from the SSA, as I just applied on-line and have the same issue with proving my citizenship. I am loath to let the document leave my possession.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I hope you'll update this when you get an answer from the SSA, as I just applied on-line and have the same issue with proving my citizenship. I am loath to let the document leave my possession.

Will do. Did you call your local Office?

 

[Car-Guy]

Did you call your local Office?

You question reminds me that even if you call your local office, it doesn't mean that's who you'll be talking with... I remember calling my local office and it would be routed automatically to whatever office had agents available to take calls. Sometime within my state, and sometimes not... If you talk to an agent and need to talk to them again "specifically", get their direct number.

 

[Gumby]

Will do. Did you call your local Office?

Not yet. I just applied on-line this morning. You would think the government could communicate among the various entities - the Department of Defense knows that I am a citizen from the days when I served in the Navy and had a Top Secret clearance; the State Department, having issued me a passport, knows I'm a citizen; the Department of Energy, having granted me unescorted access to nuclear power plants, also knows I'm a citizen. Why that information can't make it to the Social Security Administration is a mystery to me. Or they could check with the State of Connecticut, which checked my citizenship three times - when I was admitted to the bar, became employed as an assistant attorney general and got a pistol permit.

 

[W2R]

DW Applied on line for her SS. No issues there. However, they want to see her original Birth, Citizenship and Marriage Certificates. They say take them to the local office for review. None of our offices are open due to COVID.

We are going to call SS Monday and ask what to do. I wondered if anyone has had a similar issue and what they had to do.

We know any payments will be backdated, but are curious on what needs to be done to verify these documents.

Six years ago they had me mail all those documents to them. Then, about a week later they mailed all of them back to me. It worked out nicely.

 

[Chuckanut]

Does that mean a copy of a certified original, with no scans of a copy of the original. I would think they would make an exception, definitely call them for an answer.

You can contact the counties involved and get additional certified originals. Send them one of those. I did that with my birth, marriage and divorce certificates when I applied for SS. IIRC, they sent the originals back so I have them for the future if they are needed. I also have photos of the originals to make it easier to get replacements, if needed.

 

[carnivalday]

My ex husband died in September. I called my local SS office to see if I was eligible for survivor benefits, and they set me up for an online appointment. Took 6 weeks. When she called me, I had to provide copies of my marriage license and divorce decree. Because of Covid, and their offices not being open, they accepted scanned copies that I emailed to her. It was okayed the next day.

 

[Alan]

My ex husband died in September. I called my local SS office to see if I was eligible for survivor benefits, and they set me up for an online appointment. Took 6 weeks. When she called me, I had to provide copies of my marriage license and divorce decree. Because of Covid, and their offices not being open, they accepted scanned copies that I emailed to her. It was okayed the next day.

That is great news and exactly what one would expect in such a demanding time. Many folks are going to be suffering financial hardship if offices are closed and they can’t apply for their SS benefits any other way.

 

[bmcgonig]

I feel like I'm missing something here. We don't need citizenship to receive SS. What's the purpose of asking to prove it? Is this just for people not born in US? Isn't a passport proof of citizenship?